Mystory@Aarnima Shah: How I chose my course and college

Mystory@Aarnima Shah

I chose to study Commerce in class XI-XII as I thought it would open many avenues for further studies and I was always interested in Economics as a subject.  Taking up Commerce helped me in understanding the interdependence between everyday life and policies that govern a country. This further helped me in choosing my graduation course.

The legal profession was a natural choice for me as almost half of my family is in the same profession. I always took part in debates and public speaking and have a keen interest in studying politics and criminal law.

After researching more on the avenues and scope that the course provided I was sure that taking up Law is the best choice as everything we do in our lives involves a legal aspect and it is the best way to combine your profession and your interest and make a difference in the society. For eg. A person with keen interest in media or theatre field can join a news channel as a legal correspondent or join a production house as a legal counsel. One can opt to pursue law in India or abroad.

How I cracked college admission

I followed a wide approach and gave entrance exams for all possible courses that were remotely related to my field of interest. I gave entrance exams and filled college applications for journalism, law, political science and business management. For Law entrance, I prepared for the nationally conducted CLAT (Common Law Admission Test) which has multiple-choice questions on subjects including English, Mathematics, Legal Theory, General Knowledge and Analytical and Critical Reasoning. This entrance would make a student eligible for studying at any of the 14 National Law University (NLUs) which are in the league of IITs and IIMs in the field of law. I also appeared for examinations for National Law University, Delhi and Amity Law School.

Apart from the law entrance tests I was also selected for the business management course of Xavier’s College, Mumbai and Sophia College for Arts, Mumbai for Journalism, both of which had written test and interview based rounds. I finally chose to study law after successfully making the cut for Integrated BA LLB at Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law (RGNUL), Punjab – the 8^th rank NLU in India.

For my CLAT preparations I joined a one-month crash course of the national law prep group CLAT Possible in my home town Lucknow. The able guidance of the teachers in the institute helped me crack CLAT after only a month’s study with the help of regular classes, mock tests and study material.

My college life: classes, extra-curricular activities and more

College is a whole new experience from what school is. For the first time in life you are up studying with and interacting with students who share the same interests and have the same qualifications from amongst the best chosen in the country. For me, college not only helped me in my academics but also improved my social skills. I had always studied in an all-girls missionary school and now studying in a co-ed school helped me talk easily with boys.

As Law is a subject that is so integral to our daily lives, daily debates and discussions in class from any topic between Trump’s election to live-in relationships helped me broaden my views an appreciate others as well. I also got to interact with students coming from all parts of the country and learn a lot about their culture to which I was ignorant and misinformed.

One of the biggest advantages of my college experience was studying in a college which is not in my home city. It made me more independent, confident, organised and efficient. It taught me the value of money and adapting to various situations. As law schools require regular internships it helped me fulfill my constant need for travelling and exploring new cities as well as getting practical knowledge for how the practice of law actually works.

My college has always focused on extra-curricular activities. I have been a member of the Cultural Committee of the college and I am a member of the Drama Club and have performed various nukkad nataks (street plays) in college and also represented the college outside. It helped equally in honing my skills as a lawyer. It also helped me in my college interactions and making new friends.

Currently, I am in my last year of law and am applying for jobs and placement to various law firms across India. In future, I would like to pursue higher education in the field of International Law and work at a global organisation like the United Nations.

About the Author:

This is Aarnima Shah, a final year student of the integrated BA LLB degree at RGNUL Punjab. I love reading books, remembering random facts, all sports imaginable (except football and golf) and long winding discussions on politics, crime, literature and history.